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Sarasota
Thursday, Mar. 11, 2010
7 years ago

Thaxton and McClash clash over Amendment 4

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by:
Jay Brady

When two Republican county commissioners from adjacent counties faced off over proposed state constitutional Amendment 4 — aka “Hometown Democracy” — in front of the Lakewood Ranch Democrat Club March 9, the audience knew to expect an unusual exchange.

That it came from commissioners known for their anti-growth stands made it all the more interesting.
Amendment 4, which would require voters to approve all comprehensive plan amendments, will be on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Thaxton, a self-described “life-long environmentalist and a tree-hugger,” called the amendment “ill conceived, fundamentally flawed” and “an additional layer of costly bureaucracy.”

Later, Thaxton argued that the amendment “will cause economic prosperity to suffer.” A recent economic study shows that more than 250,000 more Florida workers would lose jobs because of it, raising the unemployment rate to roughly 15%.

But McClash, who has been a commissioner for more than 19 years, says it’s about “one simple thing: checks and balances.”

“It’s about giving citizens the right to decide what’s best for their community,” he says.

The current Manatee County Commission — and, by extension, Manatee residents — has marginalized McClash by rejecting his longstanding anti-growth rhetoric.

Thaxton, saying “you cannot force-feed democracy,” dominated the debate quoting the Federalist Papers and James Madison. He even reminded the audience of a phrase in the pledge of allegiance — “and to the republic for which it stands” — while pointing out that the founders feared democracy for being little more than mob rule.

Thaxton also took supporting organizations to task for using a republic form of decision-making to support a pure democracy proposition. He explained that all the groups supporting Amendment 4 did not ask their members to vote on the issue, but did the voting for them as is done in a republic form of government.

State Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, and a political science professor at New College, was also quoted by Thaxton: “It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of.”